Portable hand operated winch

ABSTRACT

A portable earth-anchored hand operated winch or pulling device having a spade-like earth engaging member and a handle on which is mounted a reel having gear teeth on one flange and mating with a spur gear also carried in the handle and drivable by a crank removably attached to the shaft for the reel or the shaft for the spur gear. A ratchet lock is provided for the reel as is a ratchet drive crank connection. The device may be knocked-down for portability and is quickly re-assembled for use.

[ 51 Nov. 26, 1974 1 PORTABLE HAND OPERATED WINCH [76] Inventor: Joe 11. Kemp, 204 Dallas Rd.,

Grapevine, Tex. 76051 [22 1 Filed: Mar. 12, 19 73 21 1 Appl. No.: 340,362

152] U.S. C1. 254/186 HC, 254/161 [51 l Int. Cl 866d H04 [58] Field of Search 254/186 HC, 186 R, 161, 254/162, 164, 175.7, 139, 139.1, 145, 188

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 572,272 12/1896 Orton 254/161 X 921,257 5/1909 Kilroy 254/188 961.108 6/1910 Davis 254/161 1,754,786 4/1930 East 254/186 HC 2,495,804 1/1950 Berchtold 254/186 HC 2,555,457 6/1951 2,635,828 4/1953 Lacy 254/161 X 2,684,833 7/1954 Benson 254/186 HC 3,265,361 8/1966 Mayrath 254/186 HC Primary ExaminerRichard A. Schacher Assistant Examiner.leffrey V. Nase [57] ABSTRACT A portable earth-anchored hand operated winch or pulling device having a spade-like earth engaging member and a handle on which is mounted a reel having gear teeth on one flange and mating with a spur gear also carried in the handle and drivable by a crank re'movably attached to the shaft for the reel or the shaft for the spur gear. A ratchet lock is provided for the reel as is a ratchet drive crank connection. The device may be knocked-down for portability and is quickly re-assembled for use.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures lull 1 PORTABLE HAND OPERATED WINCH This invention relates to new and useful improvements in pulling devices or the like and more particularly to a portable earth-anchored hand operated winch or pulling mechanism.

It is one object ov the invention to provide an improved hand operated winch which may be anchored at any point to the earth and operated by hand to apply pulling force to a line forming a part of the winch assembly.

An important object of the invention is to provide 'a portable earth-anchored hand operated winch which is light in weight, simple in construction and economical in construction, and which offers a multiplication of power applied to an object being pulled by the winch line.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved earth-anchored hand operated winch of the character described which has a ground engaging spade-like stop blade member on its lower end, and a hand grip at its upper end with the winch reel mounted in the handle and with the line operated by the reel passing downwardly through a hollow handle and outwardly from the handle at a point adjacent the upper end of the earth engaging spade grip or stop blade member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be knockeddown into a more compact form when not in use, to permit the same to be carried in a tool box or more conveniently in a vehicle or the like.

Y Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIG. I is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the hand winch;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged. fragmentary sectional view of the pulling reel mechanism in the handle of the device;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the shafts of the pulling mechanism in the handle;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the manner in which the ratchet latch of FIG. 4 is moved to an inoperative position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1 showing a ratchet drive crank handle on the shaft of the device; and.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a modification of the handle providing for a knockdown" handle structure.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally the hand operated winch or pulling device ofthe invention, which includes an elongate square tubular handle member 11 having a spade ground engaging shoe or blade 12 at its lower end disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle to be forced by the foot of the user into the earth at an angle to permit the handle to remain erect while the spade blade 12 is moved downwardly into the earth to provide a dead-man" to provide an anchor for the winch when it is to be operated. The blade is shown to be substantially triangular having substantially horizontal foot engaging shoulders 13 and 14 on its upper end and a point 15 on its lower end to facilitate entry of the blade into the earth and use of the feet by the operator to force the blade into the earth.

The hollow square handle has a longitudinal bore 17 through which a cable 20 extends downwardly and outwardly through an opening 18 in the wall of the handle 11 just above the blade 12. A pulley or sheave 19 is mounted on a shaft 19a extending transversely of the handle at the opening 18 and providing a rotatable guide and support for the cable 20 as it leaves the bore of the handle and is moved outwardly to or inwardly from the point of use. If desired, a snatch block or pulley 21 having a hook 22 connected therewith by a yoke 23 may be mounted on the cable 20 to provide for multiplication of power application. A pulling hook 25 is mounted on the end of the cable, being secured thereto by a clamp 26 in the usual manner.

The cable 20 extends upwardly through the hollow handle 11 and outwardly at the upper end thereof into a reel supporting yoke 30 having a pair of spaced arms 31 and 32 which extend convergently inwardly and downwardly below central parallel portions 44 and 45 thereof to provide securing clamp legs 33 and 34 at the lower ends of the arms by means of which the arms of the yoke may be secured to the upper end of the handle 11 by bolts 36 and 37 to firmly hold the yoke 30 in operative position on the upper end of the handle. The upper ends of the arms 31 and 32 of the yoke 30 above the central portions 44 and 45 are divergent, as shown in FIG. 2, and a gripping handle 40 is secured to the extreme upper ends ofthe arms by a bolt 41 extending axially through the handle and through suitable apertures in the upper ends of the divergent arms. Between the parallel central arm portions 44 and 45, of the arms 31 and 32 is mounted a reel or spool having a flange 51 on one side and a gear flange 52 on the opposite side thereoflocated adjacent the arm 32. The reel 50 has an integral hub 53 and a stub shaft 54 and a projecting handle shaft 55 on the opposite ends of the axis of the hub 53 of the spool. As clearly shown in FIG. 4, the stub shaft 54 extends through an opening 54a in the central portion 44 of the arm 31 of the yoke 30 while the crank shaft 55 extends through an aperture 55a in the central portion 45 of the arm 32, the apertures 54a and 55a providing bearings or supports for the stub shaft 54 and the crank shaft 55 of the reel 50. An aperture 56 in the hub 53 of the reel receives the cable or line 20 which extends through the aperture 56 and is secured in place therein by a set screw 57. A guide roller 60 is mounted on a shaft formed by the bolt 36 extending transversely through apertures 62a and 62b in the arms 31. and 32 and apertures 63a and 63b in the upper end of the handle 11. The bolt 36 provides a supporting shaft for the roller 60 to permit the line 20 to pass freely out the upper end of the handle 11 to the hub 53 of the spool or reel 50, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus, when the reel or spool 50 is rotated by a crank 70 on the crank shaft 55, the flexible line 20 will be woundon the hub 53 thereof between the flanges 51 and 52. As shown in FIG. 4, the crank shaft 55 has provided on its outer end rectangular crank engaging surfaces 65 and a threaded boss or bolt extension 66 by means of which the crank 70 may be secured by a wing nut 70b to the crank shaft 55 for turning the reel by means of the handle 70a on the free end of the crank.

For increasing the torque with which the reel 50 is turned, a spur shaft 71 is mounted between the parallel central portions 44 and 45 of the arms 31 and 32 of the yoke 30. The spur shaft has a reduced stub shaft 71a and a reduced crank shaft 711; extending through apertures 72a and 72b in the arms. The outer end of the crank arm 71b is provided with rectangular crank engaging surfaces 73 corresponding to the surfaces 65 on the stub shaft 55 of the reel, and threaded retaining bolt extension 74 extends axially outwardly from the crank shaft 71b for securing the handle 70 to the crank shaft. The spur shaft 71 has spur gear teeth 75 formed on an external annular flange 76 at one end of the spur shaft near the handle arm 32, and the teeth 75 with the teeth 52a on the reel flange 52, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, whereby rotation of the spur shaft 71 will cause rotation of the teeth 75 mashes with the teeth 52a of the reel flange 52 to cause rotation of the reel 50. Due to the smaller size of the spur gear flange 76 the force applied to the reel 50 is amplified by the usual gear ratio relationship of the teeth of the spur gear to the teeth of flange 52.

A ratchet member or lock member 77 is mounted on a shaft 78 near the arm 32 for swingable movement about the shaft to bring a catch detent 79 on the lock member into engagement with the teeth on the spur gear 75. A spring 80 has one end secured to the ratchet member 77 and its opposite end secured to the arm 32, and biases the ratchet member toward the spur gear 75 when the ratchet member is manually rotated on the shaft 78 and moved downwardly toward the spur gear as shown in FIG. 3, and away from the spur gear when it is manually swung on the shaft 78 and moved upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 5. The shaft 78 extends transversely across the space between the upper ends of the central parallel portions 44 and 45 of the arms 31 and 32, as best shown in FIG. 2, and is held in place between the arms by reduced outer end hub portions 78a and 78b thereof engaged in suitable apertures in said arms.

The bolts 36 and 37 may be removed from the apertures in the arms and in the end ofthe handle 11 to permit the yoke 30 and the reel and its associated parts to be removed from the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the tool to be knocked-down" or reduced in size, to permit the same to be put into a small tool box or in a storage compartment in a vehicle or the like.

An eye loop or U-bracket 82, which is substantially U-shaped. has the ends of its arms welded or otherwise secured to the handle 11 near the upper end of the slot or opening 18 in the handle through which the flexible line enters and leaves the hollow bore 17 of the handle. This permits the hook to be engaged in the eye or U-bracket and the snatch block 21 to be used for pulling by means of the hook 22 with a multiplied force due to the doubling of the line and the movement ofthe snatch block at the outer end of the doubled line. in the usual manner.

As is clearly apparent from the showing in FIG. 4, the crank 70 having the handle 70a thereon may be secured to either the crank shaft 55 of the reel drum as in FIG. 1, or the crank shaft 71b of the spur shaft 71, as in FIG. 2, for turning the drum or the spur shaft. When connected to the shaft 55 of the drum the drum may be rotated more expeditiously or faster to permit winding up the line 20 on the drum, while when the crank is attached by means of the wing nut 70b to the spur shaft 71 the increased powerafforded by the use of the spur gear teeth permits application of greater force to the line 20.

If desired, a ratchet mechanism may be provided on the crank handle as shown in FIG. 6, to provide for reciprocating movement of the handle .170 to cause turning of the hub or reel 50 or the spur gear shaft 71 without the necessity of moving the crank arm 170 through the entire circular are which would otherwise be required. The ratchet mechanism 85 is of the usual well known type used in driving ratchet wrenches or the like, and permits the user to pull on the handle grip 170a with the handle in the lower position between the yoke 30 and the spade blade 12, so that a greater force may be applied to the handle without displacing the spade blade-from the earth or causing undesired movement of the yoke 30 with the handle grip 40 secured thereto.

If desired, as shown in FIG. 7, the handle 111 may also be formed in two segments 111a and 11lb having a socket 112 secured on the end of one segment and adapted to telescope over the adjacent end of the opposite section and be secured thereto by a lock nut or bolt 113. This sectionalizing of the handle 111 permits further reduction of the size of the tool for compactness and storing when not in use. The tension on the line 20 while in use also tends to hole the socket 112 engaged over the adjacent end of the opposite handle segment to assure the handle remaining in its elongate erected position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that an improved portable earth-anchored hand operated pulling device or winch has been provided which is economical and simple in construction. and which provides a positive anchoring dead-man" means for engaging the earth to hold the pulling device against movement while in use. and a power gear arrangement for driving the reel. Also, the flexible line may be doubled by the use of the traveling or snatch block 21 to increase the power applied. lt will further be seen that the device is readily knocked-down into a reduced size to facilitate storage and handling.

The spade blade is readily insertible into the earth by force applied to the foot engaging surfaces 13 and 14 of the blade 12 by means of which the weight of the user may drive the blade downwardly into the earth to provide the dead-man anchor for the pulling device or winch. Also, the grip 40 on the yoke 30 provides a further support for the reel when in use, and the line 20 passing outwardly of the handle at the lower end thereof near the "earth anchor" or dead-man" spade blade provides an elongate lever for holding the handle against torque or twisting while the device is in use to permit the user to pull greater loads than would be possible otherwise. Likewise. the flexible line is guided through the hollow handle to the reel and the line does not interfere with the use of the device in any type of terrain or surroundings. When not in use, the line may be wound up on the reel 50 until the hook 25 and snatch block 21 are held against the lower portion of the handle with the hook engaged in the eye latch 82. Also, the handles 70 or 170 may be removed when the device is knocked down to reduce the space which the assembly will occupy when in storage. The ratchet mechanism prevents the reel from unwinding the line when the device is knocked-down." The segmental- 5 ized handle provides for further reduction in size when the device is not in use.

All parts are simple, easily made, and are readily assembled and disassembled, lubricated and otherwise cared for.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the constructions illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A portable hand operated winch including: an elongate tubular handle member having an earth engaging blade member at one end thereof; a supporting yoke at the opposite end of the handle member, said yoke having gripping handle means thereon extending outwardly from the end of said yoke opposite the elongate handle member; a reel spool having a shaft rotatably mounted in the yoke member beyond the handle member and inwardly from the gripping handle means; crank means for rotating the reel spool; 21 flexible line connected at one end to the reel spool and extending therefrom through a bore in thetubular handle member to the end thereof adjacent the earth engaging member; a sheave on the handle member adjacent the earth engaging member about which line is movable outwardly and inwardly through the bore in the handle member; said tubular handle member having an opening in the wall thereof adjacent the sheave through which the flexible line passes; and pulling connecting means on the free end ofthe line, whereby the reel may be rotated by the crank means to wind the line through the tubular handle inwardly or outwardly and through the opening of the handle member to move the pulling connecting means toward and away from the handle member.

2. A device of the character set forth in claim 1, wherein the elongate handle member is formed in segments and means is provided on one of the segments engageable with the other section to releasably secure the sametogether in extended erected position and releasable to permit the handle member to be separated into segments for arranging the device in a compact manner for storage.

3. A device of the character set forth in claim 2,

wherein the yoke member at the opposite end of the handle member is releasably connected with said end of the handle member and is detachable from the handle member and positionable along with the handle segments in a compact form for storage.

4. A device of the character set forth in claim 1, wherein the reel spool has gear teeth on one flange, and a spur gear shaft is mounted in the yoke member having spur gear teeth thereon meshing with the teeth on the flange of the reel spool, whereby the spur gear shaft may be rotated to rotate the reel spool by means of the spur gear teeth on the spur gear shaft engaging with the teeth on the flange of the reel to provide a multiplication of force when the spur gear shaft is rotated.

5. A device of the character set forth in claim 4, wherein a crank means is releasably securable to the spur gear shaft for turning the same.

6. A device of the character set forth in claim 4, wherein the operating crank means is detachably securable to the shaft of the reel for turning the reel.

7. A device of the character set forth in claim 4, wherein the crank means has a ratchet drive thereon for rotating either the spur gear shaft or the reel shaft to which it is attachable.

8. A device of the character set forth in claim 4, wherein a ratchet latch is provided on the supporting yoke engageable with the spur teeth of the spur shaft member to lock the same against movement in one direction.

9. A device of the character set forth in claim 4, wherein the flexible line has a snatch block mounted thereon and a hook at its free end beyond the snatch block.

10. A device of the character set forth in claim 9, wherein an eye member is providedon the handle member adjacent the sheave on the end of the handlemember adjacent the earth engaging member for receiving the hook at the end of the flexible line for multiplying the number of lines and application of force to the movable snatch block. 

1. A portable hand operated winch including: an elongate tubular handle member having an earth engaging blade member at one end thereof; a supporting yoke at the opposite end of the handle member, said yoke having gripping handle means thereon extending outwardly from the end of said yoke opposite the elongate handle member; a reel spool having a shaft rotatably mounted in the yoke member beyond the handle member and inwardly from the gripping handle means; crank means for rotating the reel spool; a flexible line connected at one end to the reel spool and extending therefrom through a bore in the tubular handle member to the end thereof adjacent the earth engAging member; a sheave on the handle member adjacent the earth engaging member about which the line is movable outwardly and inwardly through the bore in the handle member; said tubular handle member having an opening in the wall thereof adjacent the sheave through which the flexible line passes; and pulling connecting means on the free end of the line, whereby the reel may be rotated by the crank means to wind the line through the tubular handle inwardly or outwardly and through the opening of the handle member to move the pulling connecting means toward and away from the handle member.
 2. A device of the character set forth in claim 1, wherein the elongate handle member is formed in segments and means is provided on one of the segments engageable with the other section to releasably secure the same together in extended erected position and releasable to permit the handle member to be separated into segments for arranging the device in a compact manner for storage.
 3. A device of the character set forth in claim 2, wherein the yoke member at the opposite end of the handle member is releasably connected with said end of the handle member and is detachable from the handle member and positionable along with the handle segments in a compact form for storage.
 4. A device of the character set forth in claim 1, wherein the reel spool has gear teeth on one flange, and a spur gear shaft is mounted in the yoke member having spur gear teeth thereon meshing with the teeth on the flange of the reel spool, whereby the spur gear shaft may be rotated to rotate the reel spool by means of the spur gear teeth on the spur gear shaft engaging with the teeth on the flange of the reel to provide a multiplication of force when the spur gear shaft is rotated.
 5. A device of the character set forth in claim 4, wherein a crank means is releasably securable to the spur gear shaft for turning the same.
 6. A device of the character set forth in claim 4, wherein the operating crank means is detachably securable to the shaft of the reel for turning the reel.
 7. A device of the character set forth in claim 4, wherein the crank means has a ratchet drive thereon for rotating either the spur gear shaft or the reel shaft to which it is attachable.
 8. A device of the character set forth in claim 4, wherein a ratchet latch is provided on the supporting yoke engageable with the spur teeth of the spur shaft member to lock the same against movement in one direction.
 9. A device of the character set forth in claim 4, wherein the flexible line has a snatch block mounted thereon and a hook at its free end beyond the snatch block.
 10. A device of the character set forth in claim 9, wherein an eye member is provided on the handle member adjacent the sheave on the end of the handle member adjacent the earth engaging member for receiving the hook at the end of the flexible line for multiplying the number of lines and application of force to the movable snatch block. 